In the field of fitting out vehicle cabins, and more particularly rotorcraft cabins, it is common practice to make the floor from panels that are arranged in a laminated structure. The panel structure comprises a core of honeycomb configuration that is confined inside a metal enclosure forming the outside walls of the panel. The enclosure is defined between outside metal walls that are placed around the honeycomb core in order to protect it and that form opposite planes, respectively a support plane for supporting the panel and a traffic plane for supporting traffic inside the vehicle cabin. Since the floor has the potential of supporting cabin equipment, such as seats for example or any other useful equipment, it is common practice to incorporate fastener elements for such equipment in the structure of the floor. Such a fastener element is commonly arranged as an elongate member for locally receiving complementary fastener elements fitted to the equipment. Specifically, such a fastener elements are arranged as a rail or the like projecting on the outside wall of the floor that forms the traffic plane, or conversely is arranged as a slideway or the like formed in the inside volume of the floor as defined by the enclosure.
For information about an environment close to the present invention, reference may be made to WO 99/42350 (ABB Daimler Benz Transp et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,983 (Daimler Chrysler Rail Systems); and FR 2 891 239 (Airbus France).
Document CA 2 266 710 describes a wall provided with two panels with honeycomb thermal insulation being placed between them. That wall also includes extruded section members for attaching equipment.
Under such conditions, there arises the problem of incorporating the fastener element in the floor structure. In the specific context of flying vehicles, it is appropriate to avoid using common techniques for incorporating fastener elements, since they give rise to a significant increase in the weight of the floor, as opposed to usefully lightening the vehicle. It is desirable for the incorporated fastener element to enable any kind of equipment to be installed in positions that are as diverse as possible.
In particular, it is advantageous for the incorporated fastener element to enable the vehicle cabin to be fitted out depending on requirements, as a function of some specific arrangement desired for the cabin of a determined vehicle that is to be fitted out. Such adaptation of the floor to particular requirements needs to be made possible under cost conditions that are not insuperable for selling the floor and while avoiding making the structure of the floor excessively complex.
Also, it is appropriate to avoid incorporating fastener elements that are not used, particularly since too many such elements tend to weaken the floor. It is preferable for the presence of the fastener elements not to be uncomfortable in terms of freedom to move in the vehicle cabin. Furthermore, the fastener elements must be incorporated in the floor in a manner that is robust and long-lasting while not weakening the floor. In addition, fastener elements need to be incorporated in a manner that compiles with safety constraints relating to the ability of the floor to withstand deformation, which constraints are particularly severe for flying vehicles, which need to be crash-resistant.